Sunday 7 November 2010

Lore Lixenberg/Rich Mix

Lore Lixenberg is mezzo-soprano with a more interesting hinterland than your average opera singer. Although no stranger to the more conventional end of the operatic spectrum, she has made her name in more offbeat and experimental ventures like Jerry Springer - The Opera.

Tonight at Rich Mix in Shoreditch (no I've never heard of it before either) she performed - sometimes in person, sometimes on a pre-prepared recording - a selection of electronic plainchants some of which were beautifully effective. Jamie Telford's Gaudiamus Lixenburgos was particularly engaging. Based on a 16th century round multi-tracked by Lixenberg, he enveloped this celebration of Spring with wonderful bursts of colour by cleverly distorting the vocal line.

The remaining pieces lacked the same coherence as the Telford, coming dangerously close to unyielding wallpaper music.

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